KANANASKIS, Alberta — US President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Monday that they had signed a trade deal that will slash tariffs on UK auto and aerospace industry imports — but they are still discussing how to handle steel production.
The pair spoke to reporters at the Group of Seven summit in the Canadian Rockies, with Trump brandishing the pages of what he said was a long-awaited agreement. The rollout was anything but smooth, however, as Trump dropped the papers and at first said his administration had reached an agreement with the European Union when he meant the United Kingdom.
The president nonetheless insisted the pact is “a fair deal for both” and would “produce a lot of jobs, a lot of income.”
“We just signed it,” Trump said, “and it’s done.”
Starmer said it meant “a very good day for both our countries, a real sign of strength.”
Reaching an agreement is significant as Trump has threatened much of the world with steep import tariffs that have unsettled markets and raised the possibility of a global trade war.
He has since backed off on many of his proposed levies but also continued to suggest that administration officials were furiously negotiating new trade pacts with dozens of countries — even as few have actually materialized.
Trump said “the UK is very well protected,” from tariffs. “You know why? Because I like them.”
The signing of the deal at the G7 followed Trump and Starmer’s announcement in May that they’d reached a framework for a trade pact that would slash US import taxes on British cars, steel and aluminum in return for greater access to the British market for US products.
But Monday’s agreement fully covers only British cars and aerospace materials, with more work to come on steel.
The British government said the new agreement removes US tariffs on UK aerospace products, exempting Britain from a 10% levy the Trump White House has sought to impose on all other countries — a boost to British firms, including engine-maker Rolls-Royce.
It also sets the tax on British autos at 10% from the end of the month, down from the current 27.5%, up to a quota of 100,000 vehicles a year.
UK Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said the deal protects “jobs and livelihoods in some of our most vital sectors.” Mike Hawes, chief executive of Britain’s Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, said it was “great news for the UK automotive industry.”
But there was no final agreement to cut the tax on British steel to zero as originally foreseen — seen as vital to preserving the UK’s beleaguered steel industry. Britain’s steel output has fallen 80% since the late 1960s due to high costs and the rapid growth of cheaper Chinese production.
Monday’s agreement fleshes out the terms of the framework deal announced in May. That framework didn’t immediately take effect, leaving British businesses uncertain about whether the UK could be exposed to any surprise hikes from Trump.
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